entertaining – In Good Taste

10 Beautiful Place Settings for Summer Dinner Parties

Maris Callahan — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 05:00:39 +0000

These 10 beautiful place settings for summer dinner parties range from fun an festive to easy and elegant; all the summer entertaining inspiration you need. I really, really like summer entertaining. If it were up to me, I’d have a dinner party every weekend, but of course in order to have that dinner party, I would need a beautiful penthouse condo — or maybe a beach house…or maybe both! Ha ha ha we can dream, right? I love to host because it means cooking and decorating and mixing cocktails and overall, making people happy in the moment because there isn’t much I can do about world peace, or racism or any of the other horrible things going on in the world, but when someone is holding a strawberry basil martini or sitting down to a coastal seafood dinner party, everything seems pretty perfect, even for a couple of hours. As much as I love cooking and menu planning, a dinner party is that much more special when you pull out all of the stops decorating a table. Now, before I lament on this, I’m going to fully disclose that in my tiny apartment, I don’t have an actual dining room table. I […]

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How To Host a DIY Crostini Bar: Crab & Avocado Bites

Maris Callahan — Fri, 01 Jul 2016 04:00:16 +0000

If you ask anyone for their entertaining staples, they’ll probably say cheese and crackers. I love cheese and crackers as much as the next person (don’t try telling me it isn’t a meal, either), but if you entertain often, it’s easy to start feeling like your go-to spread is a little ho-hum If you want to take your next party or date night to the next level, create a DIY crostini bar. No bread? No problem. Dare Crackers are the perfect base for your favorite spread and toppings, and my favorite combinations are insanely easy to make. I’m someone who loves to host, so I’m constantly reading magazines and blog posts about all sorts of fun and festive party themes. As much as I would love to host a nautical themed backyard barbecue for the Fourth of July or a Hamptons chic clambake on a beach somewhere, those plans are not in my immediate summer future. Simple ideas like this one though, are easily executed whether you’re hosting a a gathering for 20 or 10 or 1. ] Whether prepping for an extravagant party or an impromptu get-together, Dare’s variety of crisp crackers are sure to make each bite better. You can select your favorite from a complete […]

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Host a Tropical Tea Party [Recipe: Peach Mango Tea Sangria]

Maris Callahan — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 20:07:45 +0000

February is the shortest month, but it’s also the longest month. In November and December, the holiday spirit gets us through the coldest days and in January, well, January is my birthday month, so it’s generally pretty tolerable. February is when people in Chicago start to wonder why they don’t live in Southern California and we all turn on the happy lights on our desk and frantically book flights to warm climates. That’s why, during February in Chicago, you should do things that make you happy. Buy yourself flowers. Drink tea. Have parties. Host a tropical tea party. Pick Your Theme In college, my friends and I always used to make tropical drinks in the blender when the weather was terrible outside. Hurricanes, snowstorms and non-stop rainy weekends all called for frozen margaritas or daiquiris. Even though parties look a little different now than they did in college, it’s still a great idea to beat the winter blues by hosting a mid-winter afternoon get together with friends that put a smile on your face. All you need to do is serve champagne, snacks and sweet treats — all with a summery twist. At every party, there are three primary things you want to think […]

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Things I Love (v 3.0)

Maris Callahan — Fri, 05 Dec 2014 06:00:44 +0000

It’s the first weekend in December and while there might have been a time when I enjoyed holiday shopping in crowded malls and department stores, that time is not now. Most of my holiday shopping has been relegated to the internet in lieu of my preferred activity, holiday entertaining. Before we break for the weekend, we have a few favorite things to share with you. Cheeky Home: One of the only things that ever keeps me from cooking is the thought of doing the dishes when I’m finished. Cheeky is a brand-new line of fun and colorful tableware that marries style and design with social responsibility. Not only can you set your dinner table fashionably with bold, bright paper and plastic tableware — from plates, bowls, napkins to cold cups, hot cups and cutlery — you can mix and match prints to create and customize your own unique place setting. Cheeky is also helping to fight hunger in America: for every Cheeky item purchased at Target, Cheeky will donate the monetary equivalent of a meal to Feeding America. The Feeding America network of food banks then provides food to adults, children and seniors across the country. Marvelous Red 2011: A bold and spicy red from Marvelous Wines, a […]

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Green Chile Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Maris Callahan — Wed, 23 Jul 2014 05:00:10 +0000

If you attended Susquehanna University anytime between 2004-2006, when I and two of my girlfriends lived in an off-campus apartment with an extremely well-stocked kitchen only a few steps from the handful of local bars in our small college town, then it’s entirely likely that I have made you a grilled cheese. Perfect as a lunch, dinner or late-night snack, grilled cheese is the easiest stick-to-your ribs comfort food that doesn’t have to set you back a thousand calories in one day. I love making simple grilled cheese with modest filling on whole wheat high fiber bread almost as much as I love taking a good pair of sourdough or Texas toast slices and stuffing it with several cheeses and a variety of accompaniments. This rendition of the infamous grilled cheese sandwich is stuffed with mild green chiles and spicy poblanos for a nice kick that won’t totally scald your mouth. Feel free to add bacon, too, if you really want to up the ante from the traditional version. Save Print Green Chile Grilled Cheese Sandwiches Author: Maris Callahan Recipe type: Cooking for One or Two, Worknight Dinners Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 25 mins Serves: 2 Ingredients […]

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